Adding covers to Amazon's free books (when needed)

Dr. Drib · 03-02-2012, 07:48 AM

Some authors (and publishers), in their efforts to push their products onto the public no matter what the final product may look like (which is usually crap), sometimes don't bother to put a cover on their product or else they put it in the wrong place.

So, how can we easily add covers to free ebooks from these lazy and/or ignorant authors and publishers?

The Secret is calibre.

Here's a tip I just now discovered. There's no longer a need to search all over the internet for a good cover, or to use Amazon's crippled cover graphic.

The method detailed below works beautifully - if the author/publisher embedded the cover in the wrong place:

1) Load calibre
2) add the ebook file
3) go to View
4) find the cover (click through the pages until you find it) and right-click COPY on the cover image (it won't be on the first page, which is the reason for the problem)
5) close View
6) open Edit Metadata
7) right-click PASTE
8) cover has been added
9) Now Convert the book to your choice of file format

That's it. Even if you've already added calibre's ugly "bookshelf cover" [read 'vanilla'] to your file all you need to do is detailed above.

Although I'm a Moderator here, we may decide to move this thread to a more appropriate forum, if needed.

Don

Venus · 03-02-2012, 09:27 AM

Thanks Dr Drib. I tried it with a few books this morning and it worked great. Only on one of the freebies I couldn't find a cover. So three out of four is wonderful considering that the cover was so much better than the Amazon one.

koland · 03-02-2012, 11:47 AM

Also, when you do the convert, check the box to ignore the first image (if you found the cover on the first few pages). This prevents multiple copies of the image....

If only the authors could figure that out, as I've had some samples with five or more copies of the cover image (and pretty much nothing of the book to try out ... then again, maybe that was deliberate...).

Venus · 03-02-2012, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by koland

Also, when you do the convert, check the box to ignore the first image (if you found the cover on the first few pages). This prevents multiple copies of the image....

If only the authors could figure that out, as I've had some samples with five or more copies of the cover image (and pretty much nothing of the book to try out ... then again, maybe that was deliberate...).

Thanks for the helpful hint.

Dr. Drib · 03-02-2012, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Venus

Thanks Dr Drib. I tried it with a few books this morning and it worked great. Only on one of the freebies I couldn't find a cover. So three out of four is wonderful considering that the cover was so much better than the Amazon one.

Yes, unfortunately, if there is no cover somewhere in the file then one must scrounge the internet for a good one.

Don

mikaelalind · 03-02-2012, 02:08 PM

This is how I do it, at least for backlist titles.
1. Open Calibre
2. Add book
3. Open Edit metadata.
4. Click Download Metadata or Get Cover
5. Pick the cover you like
6. Convert the file.
Voila! Professional looking cover. Oh, and it works on purchased e-books too.

DiapDealer · 03-02-2012, 02:17 PM

Quote:

9) Now Convert the book to your choice of file format

Quote:

6. Convert the file.

Both of your final steps might be a little misleading. How are you converting files that have DRM? Free books don't always mean DRM free.

If the implied step 0 in the process is to first remove the DRM, then please ignore my post.

koland · 03-02-2012, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Both of your final steps might be a little misleading. How are you converting files that have DRM? Free books don't always mean DRM free.

If the implied step 0 in the process is to first remove the DRM, then please ignore my post.

If you convert a file with DRM, keep the same from/to format and all it does is update the METADATA (including the cover), from what I remember (it doesn't break DRM with those steps).

DiapDealer · 03-02-2012, 02:42 PM

Quote:

If you convert a file with DRM, keep the same from/to format and all it does is update the METADATA (including the cover), from what I remember

Is that relatively new behavior?

You were always able to update the basic metadata (with the exception of the cover) by saving or sending to a device... and it (calibre) could update the metadata on DRMed books without conversion. But to my knowledge, changing the cover image required a conversion (which is always full blown—even if it's from one format to the same format) which will fail on DRM'ed ebooks.

Perhaps I've missed a new feature? Always possible.

Dr. Drib · 03-02-2012, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikaelalind

This is how I do it, at least for backlist titles.
1. Open Calibre
2. Add book
3. Open Edit metadata.
4. Click Download Metadata or Get Cover
5. Pick the cover you like
6. Convert the file.
Voila! Professional looking cover. Oh, and it works on purchased e-books too.

Yes, that's the method that I use first. If that doesn't work (that is, if nothing is found or it turns the crippled Amazon cover), then I resort to the method I detailed in post #1.)

Thanks.

Don

Dr. Drib · 03-02-2012, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Both of your final steps might be a little misleading. How are you converting files that have DRM? Free books don't always mean DRM free.

If the implied step 0 in the process is to first remove the DRM, then please ignore my post.

If the book has DRM, and one is unable to open the file until the DRM is removed, then first remove the DRM.

Then follow the steps I've outlined in post #1.

Don

ApK · 03-02-2012, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

ugly "bookshelf cover" [read 'vanilla']

Why you gotta be a vanilla hater? Vanilla is an exotic, intense and delicious flavor.

Just not on chicken. Worst Cooks, yo! Represent!

Apache · 03-02-2012, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikaelalind

This is how I do it, at least for backlist titles.
1. Open Calibre
2. Add book
3. Open Edit metadata.
4. Click Download Metadata or Get Cover
5. Pick the cover you like
6. Convert the file.
Voila! Professional looking cover. Oh, and it works on purchased e-books too.

This.
Apache

Phogg · 03-02-2012, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApK

Why you gotta be a vanilla hater? Vanilla is an exotic, intense and delicious flavor.

Just not on chicken. Worst Cooks, yo! Represent!

Chicken goes with anything. Its the universal food. we need a book cover generator that adds tastey chicken.

War and Peace .. and Chicken.
Great Pullet Expectations.
Pride, Poultry, and Prejudice.
The Drumsticks of war.

Venus · 03-02-2012, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phogg

Chicken goes with anything. Its the universal food. we need a book cover generator that adds tastey chicken.

War and Peace .. and Chicken.
Great Pullet Expectations.
Pride, Poultry, and Prejudice.
The Drumsticks of war.

You forgot " The Chicken Who Would Be King"

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03-02-2012, 07:48 AM	#1
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 45,041 Karma: 56751447 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: Kindle: Oasis 3, Voyage WiFi; Kobo: Libra 2, Aura One	Adding covers to Amazon's free books (when needed) Some authors (and publishers), in their efforts to push their products onto the public no matter what the final product may look like (which is usually crap), sometimes don't bother to put a cover on their product or else they put it in the wrong place. So, how can we easily add covers to free ebooks from these lazy and/or ignorant authors and publishers? The Secret is calibre. Here's a tip I just now discovered. There's no longer a need to search all over the internet for a good cover, or to use Amazon's crippled cover graphic. The method detailed below works beautifully - if the author/publisher embedded the cover in the wrong place: 1) Load calibre 2) add the ebook file 3) go to View 4) find the cover (click through the pages until you find it) and right-click COPY on the cover image (it won't be on the first page, which is the reason for the problem) 5) close View 6) open Edit Metadata 7) right-click PASTE 8) cover has been added 9) Now Convert the book to your choice of file format That's it. Even if you've already added calibre's ugly "bookshelf cover" [read 'vanilla'] to your file all you need to do is detailed above. Although I'm a Moderator here, we may decide to move this thread to a more appropriate forum, if needed. Don Last edited by Dr. Drib; 03-02-2012 at 07:52 AM.

03-02-2012, 09:27 AM	#2
Venus Country girl Posts: 313 Karma: 1536686 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: New York Device: Too many	Thanks Dr Drib. I tried it with a few books this morning and it worked great. Only on one of the freebies I couldn't find a cover. So three out of four is wonderful considering that the cover was so much better than the Amazon one.

03-02-2012, 11:47 AM	#3
koland Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,560 Karma: 8033155 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: TN, USA Device: kindle(all), nook, nookcolor, Sony, Kobo, epic, iphone, iPad, pc	Also, when you do the convert, check the box to ignore the first image (if you found the cover on the first few pages). This prevents multiple copies of the image.... If only the authors could figure that out, as I've had some samples with five or more copies of the cover image (and pretty much nothing of the book to try out ... then again, maybe that was deliberate...).

03-02-2012, 02:08 PM	#6
mikaelalind Fanatic Posts: 590 Karma: 788068 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Sweden Device: Sony PRS 505, Cybook Odessey	This is how I do it, at least for backlist titles. 1. Open Calibre 2. Add book 3. Open Edit metadata. 4. Click Download Metadata or Get Cover 5. Pick the cover you like 6. Convert the file. Voila! Professional looking cover. Oh, and it works on purchased e-books too.

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